Sunday, October 14, 2012

I don't trim too many of the bushes except I like too keep the bitterbrush trimmed once a year to help them stay in shape and size. Bitterbrush is on one the few desert shrubs that can handle being shaped. It would probably work well as a desert hedge. It also will grow well next to lawns or with no direct irrigation at all.

A nice sent and yellow flowers in the late spring. Good for deer browse and other wildlife. ﻿

Saturday, October 6, 2012

This just may be my all time favorite desert plant, of course I say this about every plant...﻿ But I do love it!

The first winter this plant lived through an Idaho winter it was a dream come true. Many winters later it is now a large trunking yucca. It was grown from seed that was mail order from California, and is the only place I have seen Y. brevifolia with such long leaves. The leaves on this Joshua tree are up to 18 inches long unlike most brevifolia that are 6-12 inches!

About 2 winter ago the top rotted off and now has regrown 11 new crowns. I doubt all will grow and branch but it will soon be a yucca tree. And too answer the question about the winter the top froze off, no it was not a very cold winter. What killed the top was a warm fall with heavy snow and a couple of nights near 0 deg F., this is much harder on them than a winter with -10 deg F or colder.

50deg F one week and 4deg F the next, very hard on plants.

If you live in a warmer zone 5 or better give it a try, they grow fast from seed and should start a small trunk after about five years, and can grow over a foot a year! as adults.

As always keep plants high and dry the do much better in cold climates!

This is a sucker clone from the above j-tree.

This is one I moved to higher grown and has done much better!

Another one I moved to higher grown, should start showing much improved growth.

These next 2 are doing much better, again moved to higher ground.

One year on higher grown and has grown over a half a foot or better!

Parting shot, a scorpion my wife caught in the house. Smaller than the last one.

"Harmless" But still hurts!

Back outside safe under a rock, and this weekend a new door sweep is growing to keep these guys out. lol